What is the most geologically stable continent on Earth?

Antarctica. In case you’re too tired of the heat and need some alone-time. Antarctica is one of the most shake-free places on Earth, though some earthquakes occur rarely (be aware, then).

Which area is a craton?

A craton ( /ˈkreɪtɒn/, /ˈkrætɒn/, or /ˈkreɪtən/; from Greek: κράτος kratos “strength”) is an old and stable part of the continental lithosphere, which consists of Earth’s two topmost layers, the crust and the uppermost mantle.

What is continental shield in geography?

continental shield, any of the large stable areas of low relief in the Earth’s crust that are composed of Precambrian crystalline rocks. The age of these rocks is in all cases greater than 540 million years, and radiometric age dating has revealed some that are as old as 2 to 3 billion years.

How many continental shield are there in the world?

The Six Geological Provinces and Continental Shield – GKToday.

Why is Australia not tectonically active?

Since Australia sits on top of a very stable because geologically old continental landmass in the middle of a tectonic plate (the Australian Plate) with no major active faults, it has far fewer quakes than areas near plate boundaries or major fault lines. Where do earthquakes occur in Australia?

Why is Australia a geologically stable country?

The stability of the Australian continent, with limited volcanic activity for many millions of years, and the relatively small amount of seismic activity is the result of Australia being situated in the centre of its tectonic plate, well away from the active regions along its margins, particularly in New Guinea and New …

Are cratons stable?

craton, the stable interior portion of a continent characteristically composed of ancient crystalline basement rock. The term craton is used to distinguish such regions from mobile geosynclinal troughs, which are linear belts of sediment accumulations subject to subsidence (i.e., downwarping).

Which part of India is known as shield region?

The Indian Shield is part of the Indian Craton and occupies two-thirds of the southern Indian peninsula. The shield has remained relatively stable since its formation, over 3500 million years ago.

What is the largest shield in the world?

The largest shields, however, are over 700 km in diameter and up to 5.5 km in height. For reference, Mauna Loa is ~120 km across at its base, and it has a total height of ~8 km (from the sea floor). Thus, the large Venusian shields are broader, but much flatter then the largest shield volcanoes on Earth.

Where are shields and stable platforms found?

distinguish the stable portion of the continental crust from regions that are more geologically active and unstable. Cratons can be described as shields, in which the basement rock crops out at the surface, and platforms, in which the basement is overlaid by sediments and sedimentary rock.

Which Australian cities are most at risk of an earthquake?

Canberra is the Australian city most at risk of devastation during an earthquake. The nation’s capital is the city with the highest earthquake hazard potential in Australia should one hit on the major fault lines running through Canberra.